Perfect Symmetry

~
It was ten-thirty at night and the last thing I had eaten was a quick bite at Chicago O’Hare this afternoon. I felt my stomach rumble angrily at me and I frowned. I was absolutely starving, but I felt awkward about tiptoeing around a strange house to scavenge in a stranger’s fridge in order to eat. I pondered it for a while, sitting on the edge of my bed and swinging my legs thoughtfully. My stomach growled even louder, and that just about settled it. I was going to forage for some food immediately.

I kept my socks on and walked over to the door. I grasped the handle and slowly opened it, holding my breath in case of rusty hinges resulting in a loud creak. I was lucky, however, and the door opened silently. I padded onto the landing and faced the stairs. This was were it would be tricky. I grasped the handrail as support and felt my way down the stairs and into the hallway. The hallway was short and soon blended with the kitchen, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

The entire place was pitch black and I could hear the dishwasher humming softly in the background. I went straight for the fridge and opened the French doors. My face and its surroundings were illuminated by the fridge light, and I glanced at all of the food inside, trying to decide what I wanted. I saw leftover mashed potatoes in a large container and my mouth watered. I reached for the tupperware and turned around to set it on the counter.

There was a figure standing just a few feet away from me. My scream caught in my throat and became a gasp. I fumbled the tupperware in my shock and it slipped from my grasp. The figure reached out and somehow managed to catch it. His arm then reached behind and flipped the light switch.

I blinked in the new light but my eyes soon focused on the young man before me. He was young; probably in his early twenties, just a few years younger than me. My sleep brain deduced that this must be David, Jonathan’s younger brother. He didn’t look too much like Jon, but he was staring me down suspiciously, and the longer the silence stretched, the more awkward the situation became.

“Th-thanks,” I stuttered nervously. “You must be David. I’m Jazz.”

He said nothing, so I felt obligated to keep talking. “I fell asleep before dinner and just woke up. That’s why I’m scavenging at eleven at night,” I tried to lighten up the things.

Still silence. I chuckled. “Could you say something? Or at least sign something if you’re deaf because I feel like a class A idiot right now.”

His mouth twitched slightly. “I saw that!” I crowed. “Come on David. I know you’re David.”

“I’m David,” he admitted shortly. “And I heard Jonny was bringing a girl. I just expected someone different, that’s all.”

I smirked. “Long legs, blonde hair, potentially a Victoria’s Secret model?”

David looked surprised. “Every time I’ve visited him in Chicago he’s been with one of those. I haven’t been in almost two years, though. Plus he’s never brought any of them here before. You have to be a bit different.”

“Yeah, I’m not as hot,” I joked, opening the top of the tupperware and serving myself some mashed potatoes and taking a bite.

“No, I didn’t mean that,” David averted his eyes awkwardly. “You’re plenty attractive. But I can tell there’s more to you than that.”

I smiled at him. “So where do you play hockey, David?”

His eyebrows raised. “How did you know I played ice hockey?”

I laughed. “I see your biceps and I took a guess. Plus I figured it ran in the family.”

His face reddened slightly. “Yeah, I play over in Pennsylvania. I’m not...I’m nowhere near as talented as Jonny…”

I finished my potato and gave David a funny look.

“Who cares? Do you love it?” I demanded.

His face broke into a smile. “Of course.”

“Then fuck everyone else,” I decreed. I put my plate and fork into the sink and replaced the potato in the fridge. “By the way, why are you in the dark kitchen at this hour?” I asked accusingly.

David pointed to a pile of bags by the door. “My flight got in an hour ago. I just got home.”

I nodded. “Well, I’ll say goodnight. See you in the morning.”

“Night,” he nodded in response.

I wandered back up to my room and tossed and turned for a while, partly because my four hour nap really left me quite refreshed, and because I was wondering about David and why Jonathan never seemed to talk about him
~
I awoke the next day to the sounds of a bustling kitchen. Laughter, dishes, and the smell of bacon all wafted up and leaked through the cracks in my door to rouse me. I got up rather willingly, not bothering to check the time, and pulled my sweatshirt back on as well as my slippers before walking downstairs.

The Toews family was obviously a group of early risers; they were all wide awake and half of them were showered and dressed already.

“Morning everyone,” I greeted shyly, taking a seat on one of the barstools in the breakfast nook.

“Good morning Jazz. Did you sleep well?” Andree asked worriedly. “You must be starving, you never ate dinner last night.”

I waved my hand unconcernedly. “Don’t worry, I woke up and has a bit of a midnight snack.”

She looked surprised. “Well that’s good. Can we tempt you with some breakfast?”

I nodded with a smile. “Absolutely. And is that coffee I smell?”

“It most certainly is. David, could you pour a cup for Jazz? Oh! I suppose you haven’t met each other yet,” Andree realized all of a sudden.

“We’ve met,” David assured his mother. “I was there for the midnight snacking.”

He reached for a mug and poured me some coffee. “How do you take your coffee?”

I opened my mouth to reply but Jonathan beat me to it.

“Milk and sugar,” he announced.

My gaze shifted to him for the first time since I had come downstairs. He was still in his pajamas too, his red striped bottoms and white t-shirt. He gave me a wink as David set my mug of steaming coffee in front of me.

“Here you are,” he offered.

“Thank you,” I smiled, immediately taking a sip.

Breakfast was served soon after. There were bagels and omelettes and roasted tomatoes and bacon and even hashbrowns. I ate a bit of everything, especially the bacon, and enjoyed the family atmosphere in the kitchen as we all ate. I could see the lit Christmas tree in the living room and remembered it was Christmas Eve. Soon the plates were cleared and everyone parted ways to get dressed or clean up, and I wanted to go outside and look at the snow. I put my heavy boots on over my pajamas and opened the front door and stepped outside.

It was damn cold. I seemed to have forgotten that snow is ice; frozen ass water, and the air surrounding the snow was absolutely freezing. I shivered, but bent down and rolled myself a neat snowball as I glanced around this neighborhood covered in white.

“What the hell are you doing, it’s freezing out here,” Jonathan’s familiar voice reached my ears and I heard the door slam behind him.

I turned and saw him comedically bouncing around in his short sleeved shirt trying to keep warm.

“I could say the same to you,” I remarked with a grin.

Jon’s eyes went immediately to the snowball in my hand and then drifted back to my face. His expression was panic-filled.

“Don’t you dare throw that at me when I’m wearing nothing but pajamas,” he warned in a low voice.

I smirked and let the snowball drop to the ground.

“I would never throw a snowball at you...unless it was a fair fight,” I said sweetly.

His eyes narrowed. “Well, we’ll have to make a fair fight for you later on today.”

I nodded hopefully and dusted my frigid hands to get rid of any lingering snow and then walked past Jonathan and back into the warmth of the house.

I went upstairs and got dressed in my warm clothes, jeans and a long sleeved, fluffy white sweater. I wrapped a red scarf around my neck and walked downstairs to the awaiting Jonathan.

“Let’s go do something,” he suggested as soon as he saw me dressed and ready to go.

“What are we going to do?” I asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Do you have any last minute Christmas shopping?”

I bit my lip. I had made presents for everyone this year, but I wanted to get Jonathan’s mom something a bit extra in order to thank her for opening up her home and family to me during the holidays.

“Is there a mall nearby?” I questioned slowly.

He nodded. “Not too far.”

I suddenly thought of something and my mouth broke into a bit of a satisfactory smirk.

“Jonathan Toews, do you have last minute Christmas gifts to get?” I queried innocently.

“Maybe I do,” he replied defensively. “What does it matter?”

“Have you gotten something for me yet?” I flirted exaggeratedly.

He put on his poker face. “Maybe.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to read his expression.

“I don’t know whether you’re lying to me. Let’s go. Does David want to come?” I asked politely, trying to put my coat on.

“I don’t want him to come. Besides I doubt he wants to be a third wheel,” he growled in my ear, wrapping his hands around my waist.

I wriggled out and put my coat on properly and then turned to look at him.

“Okay, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this,” I started to say.

“Ooh, talk to him about what?” David poked his head around the doorway and waggled his eyebrows at us.

I blushed and kept my gaze firmly on my toes. “Sorry if I interrupted,” David said contritely.

Jonathan shrugged. “It’s fine. We’re just going to the mall.”

“Did you want to come with us?” I asked quickly. I felt Jonathan pinch my side and I struggled not to react.

David studied the two of us carefully before shaking his head negatively.

“No, I don’t think I’ll come. I sorted out my Christmas presents beforehand and all,” he remarked teasingly.

Jon offered him a brief smile and then briskly led me outside, where a large pickup truck was parked. I pulled on my gloves silently.

“Why don’t you ever talk about your brother?” I blurted out as soon as he started the engine.

I could see his jaw clench. “I do.”

“No you don’t. I’ve barely heard you mention him. And now we’re here and you still don’t really talk to him,” I continued in an accusing tone.

Jonathan gave me a sharp look. “Look, Jazz. I don’t need you butting into my family dynamic. We’ve invited you here, so it’s not a particularly polite thing to do.”

My words dried up in my throat and I turned away and looked out the window, fuming silently. I felt moisture reach my eyes and I forced them away. I always grew teary whenever high emotional situations arose. I knew there was something he wasn’t telling me about his brother but I wasn’t going to push him anymore.

It was a short, quiet drive to the mall. Even when we got to the shops and I wandered around Macy’s for a present for Andree, Jonathan got bored and told me he would meet me at the main entrance in an hour.

I found a lovely scarf for Andree in ten minutes but used my hour entirely, browsing the jewelry and clothes before leaving Macy’s and wandering around the mall a bit. I saw the kids lining up for Santa Claus and I smiled at the crowds of panicky people looking for last minute gifts just like us. I bought Jonathan a few more ties and a lovely new watch to go with my handmade gifts and started to feel bad for my rude questions. He was partially right. What made it my business to interfere with his family? I was a guest for goodness sake. But I was dating him after all.

Jonathan was waiting at our designated meeting spot, but he wasn’t alone. A small crowd of people had gathered around him, asking for autographs and pictures and he was standing gamely, poking fun at the kids in Jets jerseys and ruffling the head of the one boy in the Toews jersey. I stood afar watching for a while and any hostility I had harbored before melted away as I watched Jonathan’s ease with his audience and how happy all of his admirers were after talking to him.

Jonathan caught my eye as he signed an autograph for a group of teenagers and his face broke into a small smile. I returned it shyly and waved. Jonathan spoke quietly with his fans for a few moments before shaking a few more hands and then breaking away from them and walking over to me.

I felt a lot of eyes on me as he approached me and took my hand boldly, locking his fingers with mine and leading the way out into the cold.

“You have admirers wherever you go,” I remarked as the cold air hit our faces mercilessly.

He ignored me. “I’m sorry Jazz. I was such a dick about it because I didn’t want to admit I was wrong.”

I was surprised. “Wow okay so we’re just going to jump right into the conflict, huh? I assume we’re talking about your brother here,” I asked sardonically.

He rolled his eyes. “Of course I am. And you’re right; I don’t talk about him a lot.”

I bit back the sarcastic remark that resembled an “I told you so” and jumped into the pickup truck quickly. He started the car and put the heat on full blast as we made our way home.

“He’s only a few years younger than me, and I was a pretty shitty older brother. I was always too busy with hockey or girls to help him. And then I was number one draft pick and I’m captain and I felt...guilty I guess. I could have worked with him on his hockey and stuff but I never did. I was selfish. I still am. I’m sure he hates me. I never hear from him either, and I haven’t seen him since last Christmas. He used to come to Chicago sometimes but last time he chewed out whatever girl I was seeing and I told him to get the fuck out. But he was right. She was a horrible person, but I didn’t want to agree with him. That’s not normal, is it?” his eyes remained on the road but I knew he was asking for my opinion.

“No,” I admitted and I saw his face sink a little bit. “But it’s not irreparable. David wants to be a part of your life. You have to make an effort, too. You have to call him and half a real talk with him.”

“How do you know?” Jonathan asked suspiciously.

I smiled. “When he first arrived, I was downstairs and we talked a bit. I could tell he didn’t talk to you much but really wanted to.”

“Christmas family drama, eh?” he sighed as we pulled up at the house.

“It’s a package deal, really. Family, holiday, drama...buy two get one free,” I joked as he turned off the engine and kissed me lightly.

"Well thank God I brought you to soften the load," he replied earnestly.

He kissed me again, more excitedly this time. His deep brown eyes locked with mine until we heard the front door open.

“Hey lovebirds,” David yelled as a snowball hit Jonathan square in the face.

“Jazz, roll up some snowballs and you take the right side and I--” Jonathan was interrupted as I threw a snowball at his chest.

He looked down at his coat and then up to look at me with a wild look in his eyes. I froze, rethinking my decision, but it was too late.

“Shit, Jazz get over here!” David shouted I turned and ran as fast as I could. I expected to hear Jonathan’s footsteps behind me but I heard nothing.

“Really guys? Two against one? That doesn’t seem very fair,” he sounded sarcastic.

David was set up behind a pile of snow; it was either a hill or a bush, but I couldn’t tell which it was. He had already stockpiled a large number of perfectly rolled snowballs and had placed them in a neat pile.

“You’re prepared,” I whispered in surprise, picking up a snowball and rolling it in my palm.

“On the count of three,” David grinned crookedly. “I’ll go to the left and you go to the right.”

I nodded excitedly. He held up three fingers and counted down under his breath. I lunged to my right and David dove towards the left. “Fuck!” I heard him swear angrily. I threw my snowballs blindly in the direction of the scuffle before crawling back behind the snow drift.

I could hear David groaning and laughing at the same time. “Okay okay I give, Jonny. Jesus, I forgot how competitive you were. I need a hot bath immediately.”

I saw David, completely drenched, shake snow off his hair and head back into the house without a second glance at me, obviously too preoccupied with his own discomfort. I peeked out from the snowdrift and saw Jonathan standing there, tall and powerful, barely a snowflake on him. His eyes met mine and a grin spread across his face.

“Shit,” I muttered, looking for a snowball, any snowballs, that I could use as a defense.

I grabbed the last one left, and just as I turned to take aim, a large, powdery missile hit my face and exploded all over it. I heard Jonathan laugh as I sat there, dumbstruck. I could barely see, since the snow had coated my eyelashes and made vision very difficult.

“That was payback for the one you threw at me,” he explained.

“I hit you in the chest,” I whined, rubbing the snow off of my eyelids and eyelashes.

“I know; you got off lucky. David got my face and you saw how wet David was,” he chortled.

I sighed. “You win, you cocky bastard.”

Jon raised his eyebrows and leaned closer to me so that we were mere inches apart.

“What did you call me?” his voice was low and enticing.

I bit my lip. “I...I-”

“Not so smart mouthed now, are you?” Jonathan whispered as his lips collided with mine and his body pushed mine into the soft snow.

His lips melted whatever snowflakes lingered on my lips and we tasted the winter as we lay in it. I swear the snow around us melted as his kisses made their way down my neck and I began to breathe heavy.

“We-we should probably go back inside,” I stuttered as Jonathan’s cold nose brushed my collarbone.

“Mm, in a bit,” he mumbled, pulling my hair out of my face. “What we need is a nice hot shower.”

The thought of a hot bath with Jonathan made my face flush even more.

“Not together,” I reminded him. “I couldn’t; not with your family here.”

Jonathan frowned. “Well then you have to let me sleep in your bed tonight.”

I sat up slowly, buttoning my coat. “Why does it have to be my bed?”

“Because mine shares a wall with my parents’ bedroom,” he explained wryly. “And yours does not.”

I sniggered. “Fine. Now give me a hand, will you? I think I’ve become frozen to the ground.”

Jon laughed and stood up easily, offering me a hand and pulling me up next to him. He kissed me again, softer this time, brushing my cheek with his gloved hand. I closed my eyes briefly.

“Come on,” he said cheerfully, taking my hand and leading me back to the house. I couldn’t hold back my laugh as the snow dripped onto his coat and his face turned from stony to determined.